Earwitness Rumor: The Carmelo Pick

The news that State Senator Brian Stack has picked HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia for the Hoboken Assembly slot may be fresh, but GA's already heard there may be one man to thank for it. 

Ruben Ramos, close personal friend of Carmelo Garcia.

Ramos' influence on Stack's Hoboken and Jersey City selections will come into focus as the dust settles.

But GA can tell you this (in my opinion) this was a huge F-U to Zimmer and Bhalla.   Here is what one reader sent: 

So basically the boy's club again stuck up a middle finger to Dawn, excluded her the elected leader of Hoboken from the process. He's an empty suit that will add no value. Instead of a friend in the Assembly who could work with the Governor, we have an enemy. 

Some have even suggested that Garcia's Assembly Seat may advantage him to sweep the Vision 20/20 Plan through- though I don't agree.  The fate of that project lies in the hands of the HHA Commissioners.

But I believe Garcia will have to step down from his seat on the Board of Education- the way Anthony Romano did in 2009 when he was elected Freeholder.

And whether or not he can and will keep his Executive Director position at the HHA is unclear.  The last meeting ended with a decision to renegotiate the terms of his contract.  Becoming a State Assemblyman would render his HHA directorship to a part-time position; he'd be dividing his time between Trenton and Hoboken.

Can an HHA Executive Director be a part-time position?

One more thing: GA heard that somebody's pissed about about Ruben's role in the Carmelo pick. As a result, that somebody just may run for mayor.

Guess who?